It’s now a perfect time of year to discover the Lake District’s magnificent landscaped gardens.  There are many to see but we would like to share with you some of our favourites.

Muncaster Castle

Muncaster Castle Gardens and World Owl Centre is one of the best places to visit in the Lake District for a fun family day out! Discover the extensive Gardens, blessed with breathtaking views all year round and famed for their rhododendrons (best during March – June). Relish the 77 acres of 18th Century Gardens with miles of pathways meandering through the woods.

Enjoy the historic ‘haunted’ Castle and the fascinating World Owl Centre. Be amazed by seeing more than 200 owls of over 50 species and don’t miss the Meet the Birds display which takes place daily.

Holker Hall

Step back in time and escape from the hustle and bustle of modern day living. Absorb the atmosphere of the family home of the Cavendish’s.

Feel the world famous Holker lime -one of the great trees of Britain. Hear the wind in the trees, in the magical garden. See the stunning views of fells and rolling parkland – the reason why the hall was a so beloved retreat by the Dukes of Devonshire as a counterpoint to Chatsworth’s grandeur.

Families – fly your kite in the park, roam through the gardens, hide and seek in the bushes…look out for our wonderful fancy foul. Swing, slide and climb in our playground then sample the wonderful, wholesome foods in the café.

Levens Hall

Levens Hall and Gardens is a family home situated on the southern edges of the Lake District.

Stroll amongst the world famous Topiary Gardens which date from1694. Colourful seasonal bedding and fine herbaceous borders make the scene change with the seasons. Families can explore the playground and living willow Labyrinth.

Admire the fine furniture, oak paneling and plasterwork of this Elizabethan manor. See the family stories unfold; you may even encounter one of the resident ghosts.

Blackwell

When entering Blackwell, one of Britain’s finest Arts & Crafts houses, you will be seeing the very details that the Holt family would have seen over 100 years ago. Look out over the gardens and Lake Windermere to the same magnificent Lake District views and experience the tranquil atmosphere the family would have loved.

Designed by M H Baillie Scott, Blackwell was built between 1898 and 1900 as a holiday retreat for Sir Edward Holt, a wealthy Manchester brewery owner. The house survives in a truly remarkable state of preservation retaining almost all of its original decorative features. Sit and soak up the atmosphere in Blackwell’s fireplace inglenooks and enjoy the house as it was originally intended, without roped-off areas.

The gardens were laid out in a series of terraces to achieve the best views of Lake Windermere from the house. Enjoy morning coffee, lunch or afternoon tea on the flower-bordered terrace, one of the loveliest outdoor places anywhere in England.

Blackwell is more than a heritage attraction, several of its rooms are used as galleries, and exhibitions exploring different aspects of the Arts & Crafts Movement and of contemporary craft are held all year round.

Rydal Mount

Enjoy visiting an independent family home of one of the world’s famous poets – William Wordsworth.

Rydal Mount and gardens is now the family home of the poets direct descendants and has established itself as a world famous attraction.

Wordsworth was a “man of nature” and his beautiful self-landscaped gardens reflect his poetry and his romantic attitude.

The garden has recently been shown to be still very close to the poet’s original design and is the only property where you can see the largest lake – Windermere, and the smallest lake – Rydal Water.

Experience the house and garden and relax with tea, coffee and homemade cakes in the tearoom or enjoy quiet moments in the magic garden.

(All information courtesy of www.lakedistricthistorichouses.co.uk – please click on this link for further information and opening times)

And don’t forget, after your busy day exploring, the Beech Hill Hotel gardens are a perfect place to relax and unwind and watch the sun go down.

Nicola Barnes

Assistant Manager

I just thought I’d bring you up to speed on a few things to look out for over the course of the coming year.

I know we all enjoy the garden for different reasons, here at the Beech Hill we’ve tried over time to keep things interesting and colourful. Some of you who have already stayed with us will know the grounds and that they are mainly terraced, stepping down all the way to the waters edge. Some of you may even remember I tried a herb garden a few years ago. It only took the local family of ducks about two minutes to discover it, then a further two days to eat every last bit of it!

During the quieter months of winter our gardener, Ashley, has been busy working through our plans to bring the garden back with even more colour than ever! We’ve carefully selected and planted nearly a thousand new bulbs in and around many of the borders.  As spring moves into summer we’re planning to introduce masses of summer bedding plants to really lift some of the less colourful corners of the garden.  On top of that we’ll have all the usual pots and hanging baskets.

We also have a seasonal “Tea Garden” which is literally on the waters edge, this is a treat not to be missed! Open during the summer months (weather permitting) we serve a selection of tea’s and coffee, soft drinks, and of course we always have a chilled bottle of Chardonnay in the fridge. What better way to spend a peaceful summer’s afternoon, believe me, if the suns out, you’ll be back tomorrow!

I just wanted to mention “High Biggin” in this blog. It’s relevant because it’s our luxury holiday home with a difference. It’s different in so many wonderful ways; however, in this case it’s obviously the garden I want to talk about. The garden is beautiful from every angle, but the best bit for me is the kitchen garden.

The idea here is simple, it allows you, the guest to make full use of something quite different. Our gardening team keep the kitchen garden “growing” through the seasons. If you’re booked to stay at the house for a week, you can feel free to help yourselves to all the goodies on offer. It could be rhubarb in the spring, strawberries in the summer or simply fresh herbs to accompany your barbeque! Just remember to close the gate behind you, the wild deer enjoy nothing more than a free dinner!

For those of you with a more intense interest of gardens, the Lake District offers a wealth of choice. From one the countries oldest Topiary gardens at the stunning Leven’s Hall, to the annual garden and flower show at Holker Hall. Visit our events calendar on line for more information, or feel free to ask!

Until next time, happy gardening!

Jonathan Allan

General Manager

As an update we just thought we’d show you the result of Ashley’s hard work on our garden: